Modulized display component and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A modulized display component and a manufacturing method for the same are disclosed in this invention. The display component of this invention is designed according to a modulization concept so that it can be attached to any driving circuit layer. Further, various manufacturing techniques can be used to form the alignment layers and protective layers in order to fabricate a trans-reflective, reflective, or transmissive color displaying component.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a display component and amanufacturing method for the same, and more particularly, to a modulizeddisplay component and a manufacturing method for the same.

2. Description of Related Art

With the unceasing progress in manufacturing techniques for liquidcrystal display (LCD) devices, conventional rigid silicon substrates orflat glass substrates are gradually being replaced by flexible plasticsubstrates or thin metal substrates. The flexible substrates can be madewith various radian measures and used to form a display that can berolled, or a microelectronic product with a large display area. Via thistechnique, using the roll-to-roll printing process to produce flexibledisplay products with large display areas, such as electronic papers orelectronic books, is now a possibility.

U. S. Publication 2004/0209008A1 discloses compositions and an assemblyprocess for the manufacture of liquid crystal displays. Reference ismade to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a assembly structureprovided in U. S. Publication 2004/0209008A1. The assembly structure hasa bottom substrate 10 and a top substrate 22. Either the bottomsubstrate 10, the top substrate 22, or both, has a conductive layer. Thebottom substrate 10 includes a first alignment layer and a conductivelayer that is not essential. Spacers 16 and microstructures 12 are builton the first alignment layer by, for example, a screen printing process,a coating process, or a photolithography process. Liquid crystalcompositions 14 are filled between microstructures 12 and aphotoalignable top-sealing layer 18. The top substrate 22 includes atransparent conductive layer as well as an isolated layer and,selectively, an overcoating layer 20. The top substrate 22 itself is analignable layer or a pre-aligned layer. The top substrate 22 is disposedon the isolated layer or the overcoating layer 20 via a laminationprocess, a coating process, a screen printing process, a vapordeposition process, a sputtering process, or a combination thereof. Thetop substrate 22 or the bottom substrate 10 can be further attached witha color film, a moisture or oxygen barrier or an optical compensationlayer. Finally, polarizer films and/or other light management films canalso be applied for assembly of display devices.

The assembly structure disclosed in the publication mentioned above hasa drawback that the spacer 16 cannot be made of different materials andthe photoalignable top-sealing layer 18 is unstable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a modulized displaycomponent and a manufacturing method for the same to improve theproduction rate and provide a greater variety of display modes. Themanufacturing process can be performed with conventional equipment, andthe problems of flexible substrates being difficult to make, and havinga low temperature tolerance, can be prevented.

For reaching the objective above, the present invention provides amethod for manufacturing a modulized display component includingproviding a substrate; forming an electrode layer on the substrate;providing multiple wall structures on the electrode layer; forming analignment layer covering the wall structures; filling display mediuminto spaces enclosed with the wall structures; and forming a protectivelayer on top of the filled wall structures.

For reaching the objective above, the present invention provides amodulized display component, including a substrate, an electrode layerformed on the substrate, multiple wall structures formed on theelectrode layer, an alignment layer covering the wall structures, adisplay medium filled in spaces enclosed with the wall structures, and aprotective layer formed on top of the filled wall structures.

Numerous additional features, benefits and details of the presentinvention are described in the detailed description, which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional assembly structure;

FIG. 2 shows a substrate of the modulized display component made inaccordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows wall structures of the modulized display component made inaccordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows an alignment layer of the modulized display component madein accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows the filling action of display medium of the modulizeddisplay component in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 shows the first embodiment for forming a protective layer of themodulized display component in accordance with of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows the second embodiment for forming a protective layer of themodulized display component in accordance with of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows the third embodiment for forming a protective layer of themodulized display component in accordance with of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the modulized display component inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows an adhesive layer of the display device having themodulized display component provided in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 shows a substrate of the display device having the modulizeddisplay component provided in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the display device having themodulized display component in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention uses a flexible component manufacturing techniquetogether with a semiconductor manufacturing technique to provide amodulized display component. Reference is made to FIGS. 1-9, which showa manufacturing procedure of a modulized display component in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The manufacturingprocedure has the steps described as follows.

Reference is made to FIG. 2, which shows a substrate of the modulizeddisplay component made in accordance with the manufacturing procedure ofthe present invention. First, a substrate 30 is provided. The substrate30 is flexible and the appearance of the substrate 30 is a sheet or afilm. The substrate 30 can be a macromolecule substrate, anorganic/inorganic compound substrate or a polarizer substrate. If theappearance of the substrate 30 is a sheet, it can be made with currentmanufacturing equipment. If the flexible substrate is formed as a film,it can be made by roll-to-roll manufacturing equipment. The substrate 30has a color filter layer formed thereon (not shown). Forming this colorfilter layer is not essential in the manufacturing process.Subsequently, an electrode layer 32 is formed on the substrate 30. Theelectrode layer 32 is designed to be a driving electrode for a passivematrix or a segment driving display device, or to be a common electrodelayer.

Reference is made to FIG. 3, which shows wall structures of themodulized display component made in accordance with the manufacturingprocedure of the present invention. Multiple wall structures 34 areformed on the electrode layer 32. These wall structures 34 are made byscreen printing, molding, or photolithography processes. The wallstructures 34 can be open shape structures or closed shape structures.If the wall structures 34 are open shape structures, they can be formedwith a straight-line shape, a cross shape, or a trident shape. If thewall structures 34 are closed shape structures, they can be formed witha rectangular shape, a circular shape, or a cellular shape.

Reference is made to FIG. 4, which shows an alignment layer of themodulized display component made in accordance with the manufacturingprocedure of the present invention. An alignment layer 36 is formed tocover the wall structures 34. The alignment layer 36 is formed via aprinting process. The printing process can be a letterpress printingprocess, an ink-jet printing process, or the like. If the ink-jetprinting process is used to form the alignment layer 36, differentalignment materials can be used to form a trans-reflective, reflectiveor transmissive displaying component. During the process of forming thealignment layer 36, a contact alignment process or a non-contactalignment process should be used. The contact alignment process can beperformed via a rubbing alignment action using a flannelette cloth whilethe non-contact alignment process can be performed via a photo-alignmentaction.

Reference is made to FIG. 5, which shows the filling action of displaymedium of the modulized display component in accordance with themanufacturing procedure of the present invention. After the alignmentlayer is formed, the display medium 38 then fills the spaces formedbetween the wall structures 34 above the alignment layer 36. The displaymedium 38 consists of liquid crystals or a mixture of liquid crystalsand prepolymers. In addition, the display medium 38 can be filled in thespaces via a slit coating process, a blade coating process, aone-drop-fill (ODF) process, or an ink-jet printing process. When theink-jet printing process is used, different liquid crystal materials canbe used to fill the spaces formed between the wall structures 34 abovethe alignment layer 36. For example, liquid crystal materials withdifferent colors can be used to form a color display component.

Reference is made to FIG. 6, which shows the first embodiment forforming a protective layer of the modulized display component inaccordance with of the present invention. A protective layer 40 isformed above the alignment layer 36 and the display medium 38. Theprotective layer 40 is an air-tight layer and formed via a coatingprocess. The protective layer 40 of this embodiment does not have thealignment feature. If the protective layer 40 needs to have thealignment feature, an ultraviolet light source 42 can be used toinitiate a photo polymerization induced phase separation process andform a polymer network structure in the display medium 38. The displaymedium 38 is a mixture of liquid crystals and prepolymers.

Reference is made to FIG. 7, which shows the second embodiment forforming a protective layer of the modulized display component inaccordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, apolymerization induced phase separation process is used to induce thephase separation reaction of the display medium 38 to form theprotective layer 40 having the alignment feature on the display medium38. The polymerization induced phase separation process is performed viaan ultraviolet light source 42. The display medium 38 is a mixture ofliquid crystals and prepolymers.

Reference is made to FIG. 8, which shows the third embodiment forforming a protective layer of the modulized display component inaccordance with of the present invention. In this embodiment, theprotective layer 40 is provided by attachment with an adhesive material.The protective layer 40 itself does not have the alignment feature.Hence, before forming the protective layer 40, alignment layers 44 areprovided on the display medium 38. The alignment layers 44 can beprovided on the display medium 38 via a coating process, or an ink-jetprinting process. If the ink-jet printing process is used to form thealignment layers 44, different alignment materials can be used to form atrans-reflective, reflective or transmissive displaying component.Lastly, the protective layer 40 is formed thereon. The display medium 38consists of pure liquid crystals.

Reference is made to FIG. 9, which is a schematic diagram of themodulized display component in accordance with the present invention.The modulized display component includes an electrode layer 32 formed onthe substrate 30. The substrate 30 is flexible and the appearance of thesubstrate 30 is a sheet or a film. The electrode layer 32 is designed tobe a driving electrode for a passive matrix or a segment driving displaydevice, or to be a common electrode layer. A color filter layer isformed on the substrate 30 (not shown). Forming this color filter layeris not essential in the manufacturing process. Multiple wall structures34 are formed on the electrode layer 32. An alignment layer 36 coversthe wall structures 34. Display medium 38 fills the spaces formedbetween the wall structures 34 above the alignment layer 36. Thealignment layer 36 itself can be formed with or without the alignmentfeature. If the alignment layer 36 has the alignment feature, it can bemade according to the manufacturing process mentioned in FIG. 7. If thealignment layer 36 does not have the alignment feature, it can be madeaccording to the manufacturing process described in accord with FIGS. 6or 8.

FIGS. 10-12 are used to show the manufacturing process of attaching themodulized display component of the present invention to a drivingcomponent to form a display device.

Reference is made to FIG. 10, which shows an adhesive layer of thedisplay device having the modulized display component provided inaccordance with the present invention. The modulized display componentincludes an electrode layer 32 formed on a first substrate 46. The firstsubstrate 46 is flexible and the appearance of the substrate 46 is asheet or a film. The electrode layer 32 is designed to be a drivingelectrode for a passive matrix or a segment driving display device, orto be a common electrode layer. A color filter layer is formed on thefirst substrate 46 (not shown). Forming this color filter layer is notessential in the manufacturing process. Multiple wall structures 34 areformed on the electrode layer 32. An alignment layer 36 covers the wallstructures 34. Display medium 38 fills the spaces formed between thewall structures 34 above the alignment layer 36. A protective layer 40is formed on the alignment layer 36 and the display medium 38. Anair-tight adhesive layer 48 is provided on the protective layer 40 andmade of an adhesive material.

Reference is made to FIG. 11, which shows a substrate of the displaydevice having the modulized display component provided in accordancewith the present invention. In FIG. 11, a second substrate 50 isprovided on the air-tight adhesive layer 48 shown in FIG. 10. The secondsubstrate 50 can be a glass substrate or a flexible substrate.

Reference is made to FIG. 12, which is a schematic diagram of thedisplay device having the modulized display component in accordance withthe present invention. The display device includes an electrode layer 32formed on a first substrate 46. The first substrate 46 is flexible andthe appearance of the first substrate 46 is a sheet or a film. Theelectrode layer 32 is designed to be a driving electrode for a passivematrix or a segment driving display device, or to be a common electrodelayer. A color filter layer is formed on the first substrate 46 (notshown). Forming this color filter layer is not essential in themanufacturing process. Multiple wall structures 34 are formed on theelectrode layer 32. An alignment layer 36 covers the wall structures 34.

Display medium 38 fills the spaces formed between the wall structures 34above the alignment layer 36. A protective layer 40 is formed on thealignment layer 36 and the display medium 38. An air-tight adhesivelayer 48 is provided on the protective layer 40. A second substrate 50is provided on the air-tight adhesive layer 48. The second substrate 50can be a glass substrate or a flexible substrate. The second substrate50 includes a layer deployed with driving components, called a drivingcircuit layer. The driving circuit layer can be a thin-film-transistor(TFT) layer, a passive matrix layer, or a segment driving circuit layer.

In the present invention, only one side of the modulized displaycomponent has an electrode layer for attachment to a driving circuitlayer. The electrode layer of the modulized display component is acommon conductive layer and the driving voltage can be adjusted via thedriving circuit layer.

The modulized display component of the present invention has advantagesas follows:

-   1. Due to the modulization design, the modulized display component    can be attached to any driving circuit layer to form a complete    display device;-   2. Various manufacturing processes can be used to make the alignment    layer of the modulized display component have the alignment feature;-   3. Various manufacturing processes can be used to make the    protective layer of the modulized display component formed with or    without the alignment feature; and-   4. The modularized display component of the present invention can be    manufactured on a large scale.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the inventionis not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions andmodifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, andother will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, allsuch substitutions and modifications are embraced within the scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. A method for manufacturing a modulized display component comprisingsteps of: providing a substrate; forming an electrode layer on thesubstrate; providing a plurality of wall structures on the electrodelayer; forming an alignment layer covering the wall structures; fillingdisplay medium into spaces enclosed with the wall structures above thealignment layer; and forming a protective layer on top of the filledwall structures.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein thesubstrate is a flexible substrate.
 3. The method according to claim 2,wherein an appearance of the flexible substrate is a sheet or a film. 4.The method according to claim 1, further comprising a color filter layerformed on the surface of the substrate.
 5. The method according to claim1, wherein the electrode layer is designed to be a driving electrode fora passive matrix or a segment driving display device, or to be a segmentdriving common electrode layer.
 6. The method according to claim 1,wherein the wall structures are made by screen printing, molding, orphotolithography processes.
 7. The method according to claim 1, whereina pattern of the wall structures is designed as an open shape structureor closed shape structure.
 8. The method according to claim 7, whereinthe open shape structures are formed with a straight-line shape, a crossshape or a trident shape.
 9. The method according to claim 7, whereinthe closed shape structures are formed with a rectangular shape, acircular shape, or a cellular shape.
 10. The method according to claim1, wherein the alignment layer is made by a printing process.
 11. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein an alignment direction of thealignment layer is produced by a contact alignment process or anon-contact alignment process.
 12. The method according to claim 11,wherein the contact alignment process is a rubbing alignment actionusing a flannelette cloth.
 13. The method according to claim 11, whereinthe non-contact alignment process is a photo-alignment action.
 14. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the display medium is filled in thespaces by slit coating, blade coating, ink-jet printing, orone-drop-fill (ODF) process.
 15. The method according to claim 1,wherein the display medium consists of liquid crystals or a mixture ofliquid crystals and prepolymers.
 16. The method according to claim 1,wherein the protective layer having an alignment feature is formed bythe polymerization induced phase separation process.
 17. The methodaccording to claim 16, wherein the display medium is a mixtureconsisting essentially of liquid crystals and prepolymers.
 18. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is provided bya coating process or by attachment of an adhesive material.
 19. Themethod according to claim 18, wherein the protective layer is formedwithout the alignment function.
 20. The method according to claim 18,further comprising steps of: using an ultraviolet light source toinitiate a photo polymerization induced phase separation process, andform a polymer network structure having the alignment feature in thedisplay medium.
 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein thedisplay medium is a mixture consisting essentially of liquid crystalsand prepolymers.
 22. A method for manufacturing a display device havinga modulized display component, comprising steps of: providing a firstsubstrate; forming an electrode layer on the first substrate; providinga plurality of wall structures on the electrode layer; forming analignment layer covering the wall structures; filling display mediuminto spaces enclosed with the wall structures above the alignment layer;forming a protective layer on top of the filled wall structures;providing an air-tight adhesive layer on the protective layer; andproviding a second substrate on the air-tight adhesive layer.
 23. Themethod according to claim 22, wherein the first substrate is a flexiblesubstrate.
 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the appearanceof the flexible substrate is a sheet or a film.
 25. The method accordingto claim 22, further comprising a color filter layer formed on thesurface of the substrate.
 26. The method according to claim 22, whereinthe electrode layer is designed to be a driving electrode for a passivematrix or a segment driving display device, or to be a common electrodelayer.
 27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the wall structuresare made by screen printing, molding, or photolithography processes. 28.The method according to claim 22, wherein the patterns of the wallstructures can be designed as an open shape structure or closed shapestructure.
 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the open shapestructures are formed with a straight-line shape, a cross shape or atrident shape.
 30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the closedshape structures are formed with a rectangular shape, a circular shape,or a cellular shape.
 31. The method according to claim 22, wherein thealignment layer is made by a printing process.
 32. The method accordingto claim 22, wherein the alignment direction of the alignment layer isproduced by a contact alignment process or a non-contact alignmentprocess.
 33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the contactalignment process is a rubbing alignment action using a flannelettecloth.
 34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the non-contactalignment process is a photo-alignment action.
 35. The method accordingto claim 22, wherein the display medium is filled in the spaces by slitcoating, blade coating, ink-jet printing, or an one-drop-fill (ODF)process.
 36. The method according to claim 22, wherein the displaymedium consists of liquid crystals or a mixture of liquid crystals andprepolymers.
 37. The method according to claim 22, wherein theprotective layer having an alignment feature is formed by apolymerization induced phase separation process between the liquidcrystals and the dispersed polymers.
 38. The method according to claim37, wherein the display medium is a mixture consisting essentially ofliquid crystals and prepolymers.
 39. The method according to claim 22,wherein the protective layer is provided by a coating process or byattachment of an adhesive material.
 40. The method according to claim39, further comprising steps of: using an ultraviolet light source toinitiate a photo polymerization induced phase separation process, andform a polymer network structure having the alignment feature in thedisplay medium.
 41. The method according to claim 40, wherein thedisplay medium is a mixture consisting essentially of liquid crystalsand prepolymers.
 42. The method according to claim 22, wherein thesecond substrate is a glass substrate or a flexible substrate.
 43. Amodulized display component, comprising: a substrate; an electrode layerformed on a surface of the substrate; a plurality of wall structuresformed on the electrode layer; an alignment layer covering the wallstructures; a display medium filled in spaces enclosed with the wallstructures above the alignment layer; and a protective layer formed ontop of the filled wall structures.
 44. The modulized display componentaccording to claim 43, wherein the substrate is a flexible substrate.45. The modulized display component according to claim 44, wherein theappearance of the flexible substrate is a sheet or a film.
 46. Themodulized display component according to claim 43, further comprising acolor filter layer formed on the surface of the substrate.
 47. Themodulized display component according to claim 43, wherein the electrodelayer is designed to be a driving electrode for a passive matrix or asegment driving display device, or to be a common electrode layer. 48.The modulized display component according to claim 43, furthercomprising an alignment material formed on top of the filled wallstructures.
 49. A display device having a modulized display component,comprising: a first substrate; an electrode layer formed on the firstsubstrate; a plurality of wall structures formed on the electrode layer;an alignment layer covering the wall structures; a display medium filledin spaces enclosed with the wall structures above the alignment layer; aprotective layer formed on the alignment layer and the display medium;an air-tight adhesive layer provided on the protective layer; and asecond substrate provided on the air-tight adhesive layer.
 50. Thedisplay device according to claim 49, wherein the substrate is aflexible substrate.
 51. The display device according to claim 50,wherein the appearance of the flexible substrate is a sheet or a film.52. The display device according to claim 49, further comprising a colorfilter layer formed on the surface of the substrate.
 53. The displaydevice according to claim 49, wherein the electrode layer is designed tobe a driving electrode for a passive matrix or a segment driving displaydevice, or to be a common electrode layer.
 54. The display deviceaccording to claim 49, further comprising an alignment material formedon top of the filled wall structures.
 55. The display device accordingto claim 49, wherein the second substrate is a glass substrate or aflexible substrate.
 56. The display device according to claim 49,wherein the second substrate is a driving electrode layer.
 57. Thedisplay device according to claim 49, wherein the driving electrodelayer is designed to be a thin-film-transistor (TFT), a passive matrix,or a segment driving electrode layers.